Carrying case for suction cleaners of the horizontal tank type



Jan. 24, 1950 2,495,391

E. M SMITH CARRYING CASE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 0F THE HORIZONTAL TANK TYPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1946 5 56 t: SE li I 1 i 29 L3! jpJ 8 LQ U ETHEL- M. SMITH mwmwm attorney Jan. 24, 1950 E. M. SMITH 2,495,391

CARRYING CASE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS OF THE HORIZONTAL TANK TYPE 2 Sh ets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1946 ETHEL M. SMITH Q 'l I (Ittomeg Patented Jan. 24, 1950 CARRYING CASE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS OF THE HORIZONTAL TANK TYPE Ethel Morrison Smith, Haddonfleld, N. J.

Application July 12, 1946, Serial No. 683,019

2 Claims.

This invention relates to carrying cases and more particularly to handbags of the type which are designed for carrying portable vacuum cleaners, together with all the tools and attachments adapted to be used therewith.

Handbags of this type have recently attained 'great popularity because of their light, sturdy construction, and they are used extensively for carrying all sorts of articles; Because of their relatively small size, however, it has been'impossible to enclose some articles such as vacuum cleaners which it is frequently desirable to carry from place to place.

It is an object of the present invention to so construct a handbag that articles such as vacuum cleaners together with all the tools and attachments adapted to be used therewith may be conveniently carried therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter;

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a side elevation of a carrying base constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 4l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken along the line B-G of Fig. 4.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated the carrying case comprises a bottom member side members l2 and 3, and top sections l4 and I5.

Preferably the carrying case is formed of canvas or like flexible material, the bottom member being formed of a single piece of material l which is substantially rectangular in outline, as shown in Fig. 5. Each side member l2, I3, is likewise formed of a single piece of material having the outline shown in Fig. 1. The top sections l4 and I5 are formed of strips of material of suitable length and breadth, said strips of material having substantially parallel longitudinal edges, as shown in Fig. 2.

One longitudinal edge l6 of the side member 12 is connected to one longitudinal edge H of the bottom member II, by stitches l8 (Figs. 1 and 6), and similarly one longitudina1 edge IQ of the side member i3 is stitched to the other longitudi nal edge 20 of the bottom member H, as indicated appearance of the finished article.

Preferably the several parts of the carrying case It are connected by upholsterer's seams as shown, since such construction enhances the The ends 28 and 29 of the top sections H and I5 are connected, to the ends 30 and 3| of the bottom member II by stitches 32, 33, to provide plain seams at the junction of the top sections with the bottom member II at each end of the case. as shown in Figs. 3' and 4.

The longitudinal edge of the top section I4 and the longitudinal edge 36 of the top section l5 are respectively supplied with intermeshing parts 31, 38 of a slide fastener which serves as a closure member for the carrying case (Figs. 5 and 6). The intermeshing parts 31, 38 of the slide fastener extend substantially the entire length of the top sections l4, l5, and at each end the parts are reinforced by patches 33 and 40 which are stitched thereto as indicated at ll, 42, in Figs. 2 and 5.

The arrangement is such that when the parts 31 and 88 of the slide fastener are unmeshed, the top sections l4 and 5 and the sides l2 and I3 can be spread apart to provide an elongated opening in the case, said opening extending substantially the full length of the bottom I|.

Preferably the botton H has an area of a size to receive and support a portable vacuum cleaner of the horizontal tank type as indicated by broken line in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the closed position of the case, the top sections H and I5 are adapted to have their marginal portions having the slide fastener parts 31, 38 in continuous edge to edge abutment along the,

longitudinal center of the carrying case, said top sections being continuously interconnected by the intermeshing parts 31, 38 of the slide fastener.

Due to the manner in which the top sections l4 and I5 are arranged with the side members I2 and I3 and with the bottom member ll, said top sections also provide end walls 41 and 48 (Figs. 3 and 4) for closing the ends of the carrying case. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the side member I3 is provided with pockets 50 and 5| on the inside thereof adjacent'to the junction of the side member with the bottom member I l. The pockets 50 and if may be, if so desired, formed of a single piece of canvas 52, of the same type of material used in constructing the main body of the. carrying case. One longitudinal edge 53 of the material 52 can be inserted in the seam between the bottom member II and the side member B so that it is connected to said members by the stitches 2|, Fig. 6. The pockets 50 and 5| are formed by vertical rows of stitches 54, 55 and 56, whereby both pockets will be open at the top and pocket 5| will be considerably larger than pocket 58. Pocket 50 is designed to contain the dusting brush attachment (not shown) used with the 3 vacuum cleaner, and pocket Si is designed to contain other attachments used with the vacuum cleaner, such as the mop attachment and the rug cleaner attachment (not shown).

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the side member I! is provided on the inside thereof with a pair of double loops 51, 58 and 59, 60 which are adapted to receive a pair of extension tubes used with the vacuum cleaner (not shown).

Also mounted on the inside of the side member l2 adjacent the end 41 and beneath the loop II, is a pair of single loops SI, 62 which are spaced apart a suitable distance so as to provide a support for a radiator cleaner or similar attachment (not shown).

Near the opposite end 48, the side member I! has a single loop 63 fixed to the inside thereof for-supporting a furniture attachment or similar device (not shown).

A single length of flexible material 66, arranged inthe form of a loop to provide a pair of handles 81 and 68, is connected to the exterior of the side and bottom members of the carrying case by stitches 89. The handle 61 extends upwardly above the side member I! and the handle 68 extends upwardly above the side member ll. Both handles can be arranged to overlie the top of the carrying case in the manner shown in Fig. 2 to provide convenient members to be gripped by the hand of a person when it is desired to transport the carrying case. The stitches 65 may also be of continuous loop form and the adjoining ends of the material 66 can be cross stitched to the bottom member II, as indicated at 10, Fig. 5.

The side member l2 has one end of a strap ll of flexible material secured thereto, as indicated at 12, Fig. 1, and the side member l3 has a buckle ll secured thereto, as indicated at ll, Fig. 3. The strap II and the buckle 13 are arranged substantially at the mid point of the length of the carrying case and centrally between the loops constituting the handles 61, ;68, the buckle I3 being adapted to receive and "retain the strap in well known manner. A length of vacuum cleaner hose (not shown) may be inserted under the strap II and carried on top of the case I.

It will be seen that I have produced a handy carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like which can be carried from place to place and at the same time keep all equipment together in an accessible manner.

Having thus described any invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A-carrying case for suction cleaners of the horizontal tank type formed of canvas or the like flexible material, comprising a flat bottom having longitudinally extending substantially parallel side edges and end edges arranged substantially at right angles to said side edges, side members, each side member having a longitudinal edge connected to a longitudinal side edge of the bottom by stitches, each said side member having an end edge at each end and a top edge, said end edges and said top edge offeach side member forming a continuous edge portion wherein the top edge is arranged substantially in parallel relationship with respect to the longitudinal side edge of said bottom and the end edges are inclined toward each other outwardly from the connection of the side member with the bottom, a pair of inwardly directed top and end members, each formed of an elongated substantially rectangular piece of material having an opposed pair of longitudinal side edges and an edge at each end arranged substantially at right angles thereto, each of said top and end members having a longitudinal side edge connected to the end edges and top edge of a side member by stitches 'and its end edges connected to the end edges at each end of said bottom by stitches, whereby said top and end members have longitudinal meeting edges extending from a point adjacent one end of said bottom to a point adjacent the other end of the bottom, and means on the longitudinal meetingedges of said top and end members for detachably securing together the meeting edges of said top and end members.

2. A carrying case for suction cleaners of the horizontal tank type, said case being formed of canvas or the like flexible material, comprising a flat bottom having longitudinally extending substantially parallel side edges and end edges arranged substantially at right angles to said side edges, opposed side members, each side member having a longitudinal edge connected to a side edge of the bottom by stitches, each said side member having an end edge at each end and a top edge, said end edges and said top edge or each side member forming a continuous edge wherein the top edge is arranged substantially in parallel relationship with respect to the longitudinal side edge of said bottom and the end edges are inclined toward each other outwardly from the connection of the side member with the bottom, a pair of inwardly directed top and end members, each formed of an elongated substantially rectangular piece of material having an opposed pair of longitudinal side edges and an edge at each end arranged substantially at right angles thereto, each said top and end member having a longitudinal side edge connected to the end edges and top edge of a side member by stitches and its end edges connected to the edges-at each end of the bottom by stitches, whereby said top and end members have longitudinal meeting edges extending substantially from a point adjacent one end of said bottom to a point substantially adjacent the other end of the bottom, a plurality of pockets formed on the inside of one of the side members, a series of loop straps formed on the inside of the other side member, a suction cleaner and various tools and attachments used therewith being adapted to be positioned within the case with the suction cleaner supported by the bottom and the tools and attachments disposed in the pockets and the loop straps, whereby the top, ends, and the sides of. the case can be spread apart to expose substantially the whole of the bottom so that the interior of the case is accessible for the purpose of removing the contents thereof and for placing articles therein, and means on the longitudinalmeeting side edges of said top and end members for detachably securing together the meeting edges of said top and end members.

ETHEL MORRISON SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,755,548 Lowe Apr. 22, 1930 2,042,387 Cobb May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 117.830 Australia Sept. 17, 1943 

